Pinterest Wins

Happy Made-Up Holiday!

In these parts sharing the love is limited to those age 9 and under, but I do love both my readers, so I am going to share a little Pinterest love with you, mainly in the form of recipes.  I've tried a lot of crap recipes (oatmeal muffins I am looking at you), but when I find a winner, it goes straight into the meal-planning rotation.  If it's beloved by all, it even gets its own home in my recipe binder.  Here's a few winners for you to try (sorry, no pictures.  Blogger is being difficult):

Smothered Chile Colorado Burritos.  SO EASY.  Because my crock pot is VERY hot, I don't even bother defrosting the meat first.  Stew meat + enchilada sauce + garlic salt = yum.

Lighter Tastes Like Lasagna Soup.  AWESOME.  I only use 1/4 of a green pepper, as I am a pepper-hater.  And whole-wheat lasagna noodles are not important enough to me to make a special trip to the Walmarts, so I use what I have.  Maybe not as "light", but still very tasty.

Baked Potato Soup.  I am suspicious of recipes that "hide" vegetables.  I think this is a hold over from childhood - after all, the primary veggies in our house were iceberg lettuce, baked potatoes, or corn.  So, I was skeptical of a recipe that subs in cauliflower for half the potatoes.  But it works here and is 100% delicious.  I also love that I don't have to run all over town looking for ingredients.  Another family favorite!  

Finally, a tip:  I have a panini press and have found the downside to it is the clean up.  I *think* it was Pinterest where I read about wetting paper towels and laying them on the hot surface.  Close the lid for about a minute to let it steam, then open and let it cool for another minute or so.  Wipe away the goo & toss those paper towels.  I bet this will work on my waffle maker, too!

A Belated 9th Birthday

After last year's mega-party, I swore that my girl would not get another party until she turned 12.  Possibly 16.  Yes, it was that much work.  And yet I somehow allowed myself to be roped into hosting a few of her friends for a Spa Party.  

I know, I am a sucker. 

We invited 4 friends, and 2 came, so it was actually very manageable.  

We made invitations in the shape of a sleep mask, and filled in the details with glittery pen.  

As party favors, we put together a personalized "spa kit" with a dollar store container, flip flops, a wash cloth, face scrubber, nailpolish, combs, head bands, hair elastics, and a manicure kit.  I bought everything at the Dollar Tree, so even though it seems like a lot of "stuff" it was totally reasonable.  

I personalized each container with the girls' names - I love how they turned out!  

We decorated the buffet in party style with a banner, tissue paper flowers, 

personalized art, and yummy treats.  

It was an afternoon party, so we had root beer and candy popcorn for treats, and of course cupcakes & ice cream.  

Flower cupcake papers were the perfect girly touch!

With a spa party theme we decorated flip flops with ribbon & tulle, played musical manicure, enjoyed an all-natural face mask, and then painted toenails.  

And then enjoyed those delicious cupcakes!  This year's secret: Nutella frosting.  I was dying.  

Happy Birthday, baby girl!  9 going on 19!

Favorite Things: January Edition

Hello 2013!

It's been a while since I've shared some of my favorite things, so I've got 2 new items to tell you about.

First, I finally jumped on the Argan oil bandwagon.  But, being the frugal girl that I am, I couldn't bring myself to take the plunge with The Moroccan Oil.  You know, the one with the blue label?  The one that is $30+ per bottle?  I just...... couldn't take the plunge and risk not liking it.  It seems counter intuitive doesn't it?  Oil on the hair that doesn't look greasy? But it works!

So instead of the "real" thing, I bought this:

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil

It was inexpensive, so I figured it would be a good "gateway" oil for me test out.  And I love it!  I apply some after I wash my hair, and when I wake up in the morning, I have smooth, frizz-free hair.  On day 2 or 3, I will add a bit more to my ends.  And that's it!

The second thing I want to share is my love for coconut oil.  I bought some during my last visit to Trader Joe's, with the intention of using it as a hair mask.  Yep, works great.  But I've also been using it on my face and body.

Whaaaaat?  Oil on the face?

Yes!

It doesn't make me break out, it doesn't make my skin greasy, and at $6 a jar, it is less expensive than any other face cream I've ever used. I keep a tiny tupperware container of it in my bathroom, and scoop out a little bit at night/ after a shower.  It melts quickly, isn't greasy, and the smell is refreshing (especially in these grey, cold winter nights).  It's also antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial.  Which means that it even helps heal any breakouts.

Coconut oil.  Who knew?!

A-Z List + 2 Funny Stories to End the Year

A. Age:  No.  No, thank you. 

B. Bed size:  Currently a queen.  Would like to have my own king-sized bed someday, in my own bedroom. 

(I kid, I kid.  A little.)

C. Chore you hate: Cleaning bathrooms.  Tedious AND Gross. 

D. Dogs: 1 beagle mix who likes to eat Christmas decorations and poop in my front room. 

E. Essential start to your day: Eggs for breakfast.  No protein = no thinking for Amy.

F. Favorite color: Blue.

G. Gold or Silver: White gold/ silver/ platinum

H. Height: 5'2"

I. Instruments you play: n/a 

J. Job Title: AA

K. Kids: 2

L. Live: I don't even know how to respond to this.  Yes, I live.  Yes, I am LIVE. I RESIDE in Ohio (for now).

M. Married: Yes, to Big Daddy: Joker, marksman, and expert bacon cooker.

N. Nicknames: Miss Amy

O. Overnight hospital stays: Only when I had my babies. 

P. Pet peeve: (how much space do we have here?)..... Sub-par restaurant food, people with no common sense, Wal-mart, commercials, grammatical errors, white cars, tight shoes, dust bunnies.

Q. Quote: “To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common - this is my symphony."
~ William Henry Channing
American Moralist, Unitarian Clergyman, & Author
1780-1842

R. Righty or Lefty:  Righty-tighty

S. Siblings:  1/2

T. Time you wake up:  Pre-dog: 7am; Post-dog: 5:30am :(

U. University attended: Fear the Fork!

V. Vegetables you dislike:  Eggplant.  SHUDDER. 

W. What makes you run late: KIDS, and husband who waits to go to the bathroom until we are all in the car & ready to leave. 

X. X-rays you've had:  Teeth & a chest X-ray once (pneumonia)

Y. Yummy food: A nice steak, medium rare. 

Z. Zoo animal favorite: River Otter

Funny Stories:

1.  Last Sunday I went to church wearing a new(ish) green dress that I really like.  I paired it with brown boots and a denim jacket on top.  I felt cute and comfortable.  Half-way through the first hour, I started wondering why I felt SO comfortable.  And I immediately realized that I had forgotten to put on a bra.  This has happened.....let's see.... NEVER.  I quickly buttoned up the jacket and said a little thank you prayer that I had worn it in the first place.  

2.  After Christmas Big Daddy, J, and I hit the mall to look for some cold weather running gear.  As I was waiting to pay, the cashier looked over at J, asked how old he is, then asked me if I was his Grandmother.  

What?

As my husband shook his head and sidled away, probably thinking I was going to go out with guns a-blaze, I waited several beats before informing my 18 year old cashier that I am his MOTHER.  She didn't even blink or appear embarrassed in the slightest.  As my husband later pointed out, this is probably more an indictment of where we live than of my personal appearance, but it still stung a little.  

And on that note, Happy New Year!  

End of the Year Confession

I've debated for weeks whether or not I should write this.  I feel like no one reads my blog so in the end, it's probably more an exercise in catharsis for me than anything really revelatory for a happenstance reader.

{Deep Breath}

I've spent the last 5 months working on my health and fitness.
And I've had some success.
In fact, I'm down 25 lbs.

Let me say it again, because I can hardly believe it:

I'VE LOST 25 POUNDS.

I wish I had a better visual, but this is what I came up with:

 

(Boy, do I wish my abs looked like that!)

I cannot remember a time when I haven't either struggled with, been unhappy with, or thought about my weight.  After having kids, I simply assumed that I would never be the same, and I viewed those "skinny" moms as having been blessed with a naturally fast metabolism, an amazing personal trainer, or  a talented plastic surgeon - things I certainly did not have.  

Did I know about the uber-secret formula: Eat Less and Move More?  Yes, I was aware.  But I just couldn't seem to put both the pieces together. I've started many exercise programs, but always been reluctant to track my food. And I firmly believe that food is 80% of the equation.  Anyone who tells you that losing weight is simple or easy is lying.  Anyone who tells you it is worth it is being honest.  

Part of me sometimes wonders what took me so long to figure this out, but that seems a bit defeatist.  Instead, I am trying to appreciate the benefits here and now.  

I don't feel the need to share my tipping point, but I will say that once it happened, there was no looking back.  I began by joining Weight Watchers, plunging in with a full 12 week commitment.  I'll be frank - I didn't love it.  I bear the blame for some of that.  After the first few weeks my schedule became really busy, and I wasn't able to attend meetings regularly or for the full amount of time.  I also resisted having to convert all the foods into points.  The Type-A in me kept thinking "What makes Weight Watchers so special that they can't just count calories like everyone else?".  I know, I was sort of doomed from the start.    

But I did have success and I lost each week.  

After the first few months, I switched to an iPhone app called My Fitness Pal, and it has been a huge part of my success. I set a calorie goal based on my desired weight loss, and I can track my food, water, and activity.  It allows me to track what I eat using a database of thousands of foods.  I can also input my own recipes and it will formulate the breakdown of calories, fat, protein, etc.  I use it multiple times a day.  I now eat between 1300-1500 calories per day, and I do eat back my exercise calories.  I record everything I eat, but I don't deprive myself.  If I want some ice cream, or I know I am going out to dinner, I make sure I have the calories to enjoy myself.  It can be done!   

And to make this post even more illustrative, let's look at some embarrassing pictures!

                             Then                                                                             Now
                                          
As for exercise, I started doing the 30 Day Shred (again).  After I finished I moved on to Ripped In 30 (also a Jillian Michaels program), which I completed but hated.  I feel like the circuit training formula has contributed to my success.  Although I have slacked off since Thanksgiving, I am still working out 5 days a week (currently 3 days of weights, 2 days of walking or cardio).  My goal for next year is to work up to running by completing the Couch to 5K program.  I want to run a 5K in the Spring/ early Summer.  Do I love working out?  Nope.  But I love how I feel afterwards.  I love feeling like I am ready to run when I go for my walks.

I also appreciate that I did this without a gym membership, a trainer, or any expensive equipment. All I had was a smartphone, a DVD player, some handweights, and a decent pair of sneakers.  Would I love a treadmill at home?  Sure, but it's just not realistic right now.  I used what I had, and again, it's working.  It CAN Be Done.  

This has been a long journey, and it is not over yet.  I was surprised at how mentally exhausting it sometimes was.  But the benefits have been awwwwwwwesome.  I always thought that the saying "Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels" was a bunch of crap.  But after 5 months, -25lbs. and feeling better than I have in 10 years, I am totally on board.  There is nothing better than hearing my husband say "You look amazing."  But if there's anything that's a close second to that, it's being able to pull on my old jeans without even unbuttoning them.  I love having my flexibility back.  I love setting a better example for my kids by exercising AND enjoy treats in moderation.  I love buying clothes that are two sizes smaller than before.  And I love not being afraid to pass by a mirror.

See, now aren't you glad you stayed to the end of this incredibly self-centered post? I mean seriously, what is more boring than reading about someone blathering on and on about weightloss?  Crap, I just bored myself to sleep, and I am both the writer and person in question.  Yawn!  Go do something!  Read a book (because I certainly haven't in the last 5 months)!

Here's to a great 2013!

 

Organization

During our recent trip back West, my sweet sister-in-law asked me how I stay so organized.  It was a busy trip, and we juggled a packed schedule filled with multiple family visits, friends, shopping, family fun, and many hours on the road.  It was also one of the best family trips we've had in ages.

First, I am flattered that she sees me as such.  Some days I feel on top of it, and others, well, I'm hanging on by my fingernails.

So, here's a few things that help me to stay at the top of that mountain of To-Do's.

First, my type-A heart is at its happiest when I feel like I have a handle on what's going on and when.  I live and die by my iPhone.  I know, it seems a little silly, but it's my phone, my silent communication device, my organizer, my map, my weather girl, my personal assistant (and yes, sometimes it's my electronic leash).  Whatever is going on with work, school, or play, it goes into the calendar.  And I check my calendar multiple times a day.  I do not like surprises (unless they come in a small blue box), and that calendar keeps me sane.

My second favorite part of my phone is the 2Do app.  I use this to make checklists of all sorts of things - Christmas gifts, random things I need, shopping lists for trips to the Big City, and most importantly, I use them to keep up with what I need to do each week.  I almost always make a list for each day of the work week, and even if it contains such tedious items as "Work Out" and "Buy Milk", it helps keep me on track.  I find it especially useful when I have a lot going on & I use it to break down tasks that would feel overwhelming if I made a week-long list.    

It also helps me to avoid the "can't remembers".  It began with pregnancy brain, and moved into Mommy brain, and whatever you call it, it is firmly entrenched in me.  As the kids get older and they get more busy, it almost gets worse. With a checklist, I have no excuse.   The personal rule I use is that if a task goes into a certain day, it HAS to be done that day.  There are few exceptions.  BUT I try to limit my tasks on a given day.  A 12 task list is crazy!  I do my best to list the top 3 things I have to accomplish, and if the list is longer than 6 items, then it is generally because I can knock off at least half the list in 15-20 minutes.  

Next, I take time on Saturday or Sunday, and look over the week ahead.  This is when I will often begin my checklists for the week, and fill them with the tasks I MUST do to stay on track.  For example: This week, I had 2 potlucks in a row, and a school party that needed a treat made.  I had committed to making certain items for each, and so I used my lists to keep me on track with WHEN to prepare what I needed to bring.  Plus, checking my calendar each morning reminded me to not leave the house without that delicious food!  

Finally, I have found meal planning to be invaluable to my peace of mind.  Although I only map out a week at a time, choosing - in advance - what to make and when has helped me to cut down on my spending AND to give me a little peace of mind.  I check the plan in the morning, pull out what I need, and at 5pm, there's ALWAYS an answer to the inevitable "What's for dinner, Mom?".  

What's your best tip for staying on top of things?  

December Happenings

I'm shaking off the December lethargy and have finally gotten a boatload of stuff done this week.  

On Sunday we made pretzels to give to neighbors (and a few to enjoy ourselves).  Everybody had fun rolling and twisting the dough.... and eating them hot out of the oven.  YUM!

I made teacher/ pal gifts using a printable from Our Best Bites, cozy socks, and nailpolish.   

Hanging Christmas cards from the kitchen cabinets. 

 Of all the ways to display cards that I've tried over the years, this is my favorite. 

I miss having a cozy fireplace in the winter, so I made my own!  

I had everything on hand already, and I used these general instructions.  

I hung a few ornaments from the chandelier....

And decorated the picture ledges we hung in the dining area.  

I think it needs a tiny poinsettia and it will be all done.  

I printed out these "chalkboard" drawings and framed them to hang on either side of the ledges. 

Thank goodness for Pinterest - that's where I found most of these ideas!

And finally, I received my December Birchbox a few days ago!

Perfume, dry shampoo, eye cream, $50 credit to renttherunway.com, and a tiny fragrance atomizer.

I have loved all the items I've been getting from Birchbox, and highly recommend signing up or giving a gift subscription if you have a beauty lover in your life. I'd say that for $10 a month, you receive $25-$30 in samples.  Last month included a full-size lip gloss worth $16, Kerastase hair masks, and a gorgeous metallic nailpolish.  I look forward to the 10th of the month, knowing my Birchbox is coming soon!